Chapter 75
Chapter 75
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: A Nobody Cadet (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I stood silently, waiting for the members of the disciplinary committee to speak.
It wasn't my place to speak first, nor was it the right atmosphere.
A solemn atmosphere.
The table and chairs were positioned on a conspicuously high platform.
Seven men and women sat there, looking down at me coldly.
The color of the walls, the arrangement of the chairs and windows—everything visible was designed to intimidate the cadet standing in this spot.
“…”
For a while, the committee members just stared at me in silence.
Silence settled over the meeting room.
This, too, was an intentional silence, crafted to pressure me.
But if you're asking whether I felt intimidated, that wasn't the case.
It was familiar.
In my past life, I had stood before countless military tribunals.
The military high command, rather than dealing with the inhuman Roman, frequently put me—the easier target—on trial.
Each time, I had to prove Roman's actions were justified.
Everything was the same.
The only differences were that here, I had to defend myself instead of Roman, and at least I didn't have to worry about being beheaded.
“Cadet Yan.”
One of the committee members who had been watching me silently rose and stood before me.
And immediately began to list my charges.
“This morning, during a gathering of thirty cadets from the Silver Eagle class for a joint lesson, you engaged in a petty squabble with Cadet Stefan and committed an act of one-sided violence. Therefore, this committee…”
“I object.”
“...?”
The committee member in charge of the questioning widened his eyes.
“I request a correction. It was not a ‘petty squabble,’ but a grave insult to my honor.”
He seemed surprised that a mere cadet would challenge their words in such a manner.
Regardless, I continued to correct the committee member's statement.
“Furthermore, it is inappropriate to describe the exercise of a legitimate right, guaranteed by Imperial law, as ‘one-sided violence’.”
I didn't particularly want to antagonize the committee by nitpicking such minor details, but in these situations, the nuances of wording are everything.
Letting even a small thing slide could put me at a disadvantage later.
It was a lesson learned from being thoroughly torn apart in my past life.
“Fine. We will correct it to a ‘grave insult to honor.’ However, I cannot accept your claim that it was an ‘exercise of a legitimate right.’ The crucial process of requesting a duel was omitted, and it cannot be determined that you received the other party's consent.”
After a brief pause, the member who had first recited my charges pointed out the invalidity of my objection.
“I object!”
I immediately countered.
“According to Imperial law, a duel of honor conducted in a situation where one has received a grave insult, recognizable by anyone within universal values, does not require the opponent's consent.”
“…That immunity applies only to knights who have received their title and the squires who serve them. However, I understand you terminated your squire contract before entering the Cradle. Therefore, you are not eligible for this immunity.”
“I object! According to common law, a squire undergoing training at a recognized educational institution or currently in service is to be treated equally, regardless of their oath status.”
“…”
As I objected to every statement, the questioning member's expression turned grim.
But he seemed unable to think of a rebuttal, merely opening and closing his mouth.
Watching him, I scoffed inwardly.
I've stood before military tribunals over a hundred times.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I was referred to trial after every battle.
The time I've spent arguing on a knife's edge with those desperate to bring down Roman would easily surpass the time this man has spent in any court.
I was confident I could refute anything he said.
“You may step down.”
A low voice spoke up.
An old, white-haired committee member was looking at the questioner with disapproval.
“Ah, but the questioning has barely begun…”
“If I leave it to you, this will end as nothing more than an argument.”
“But…!”
No wonder he was sitting in a uniquely high position; the old member seemed to be the head of the disciplinary committee.
“Tsk. Haven't I told you time and again? The law is made by people and enforced by people. One must be flexible. This is what happens when you cling only to the law books.”
At the chairman's words, the questioning member shot me a glare before turning away with a sharp swivel. Once he was seated, the old member—the chairman—spoke in a gentle voice.
“There's no need for you to be so on edge, either. This isn't a real Imperial court, and we only called you here because we had a few questions to ask.”
Despite his tone, the old man's gaze was not the least bit gentle.
His eyes were so clear they seemed to see right through me.
I straightened my back without realizing it.
I felt I should refrain from clumsily nitpicking words any longer.
“This old man has many questions for you.”
The old chairman, watching me intently, asked.
“First, why did you hold back?”
I paused for a moment at his direct question.
Countless answers came to mind.
But I quickly dismissed them.
“I didn't hold back.”
I decided to be completely honest.
“At that point, I had already delivered sufficient punishment to my opponent.”
The chairman's eyes widened, as if my answer was different from what he'd expected.
He probably expected an answer like, ‘I came to my senses when the squad leader stopped me,’ or ‘I couldn't bring myself to strike an opponent who had lost the will to fight.’
“Strange. According to the testimonies of the cadets who were there, you never laid a hand on Cadet Stefan.”
To the chairman's question, I simply replied curtly.
“What you see isn't everything.”
In this world, there are countless ways to torment an opponent without leaving a visible mark.
I knew of one such method myself.
Not only did I know it, but I was also experiencing it daily.
Professor Navian's Heart Sword.
To be honest, I hadn't used it consciously.
It wasn't a technique that a mere squire, not even a knight, should be able to use in the first place.
But it worked.
It wasn't perfect.
I hadn't formed a perfect image of a sword in my mind, nor had I wielded it at will.
It was a crude thing, like brandishing a blood-soaked knife in front of an opponent.
But it was undoubtedly a Heart Sword.
It was just that my level was so low that its form and manifestation were exceedingly crude.
In any case, I had delivered sufficient punishment to Stefan through the Heart Sword.
“What you see isn't everything…”
The old chairman, after a moment of thought, nodded.
“To have shown such disgraceful behavior in front of so many… it will be difficult for him to wash away that dishonor in the future. The lofty stars will not easily grant him their light either.”
The old chairman, having reached a completely different conclusion, nodded repeatedly.
He seemed to think it was an appropriate measure, repaying an insult with dishonor.
“Why didn't you hold back until the end?”
Having convinced himself, the old chairman posed his second question.
Again, I answered honestly.
“I judged that he would become a future problem.”
Leaving an opponent screaming for revenge was not a wise move.
You either kill them, or if that's difficult, you must at least make them flinch at the mere sight of your shadow. That's how you avoid future trouble.
“Do you think the Grossman family will stand by while a direct heir of their house is crippled? You can't be naive enough to think they will let it slide just because you have justification on your side.”
Unlike my previous answer, this one did not seem to please the old chairman.
His words, which sounded like a question, were tinged with a rebuke of my shortsightedness.
However, contrary to the chairman's concerns, I hadn't acted thoughtlessly.
“Professor Yuria once promised me that she would reattach a limb or two if they were ever severed.”
Indeed, when I was in the infirmary not long ago, Professor Yuria had clearly promised me.
That she would reattach my limbs if they were severed.
The owner of said severed limbs would be quite different from who she had in mind, but in any case, I judged that Stefan wouldn't be crippled.
Thus, the Grossman family would have no reason to hold a grudge against me.
Their justification would be weak.
If not, so be it.
It's not like I don't have anyone to fall back on.
The Crown Prince, who is desperate to keep me by his side, would be more than enough of a shield.
Of course, that was on the condition that the Crown Prince was still alive by then.
“Hmm.”
The old chairman's expression became peculiar.
“Treatment by Professor Yuria. How dreadful.”
“The grudge might deepen. No, it most certainly will.”
The other committee members murmured among themselves.
It seemed Professor Yuria's methods of treatment were far from normal.
But it didn't matter.
It wasn't me receiving the treatment, after all.
A low murmur.
I waited quietly for the unsettled atmosphere to subside.
“This will be the last question.”
After a long pause, the old chairman spoke.
“If you could go back to that moment, would you make the same choice?”
“Yes.”
I didn't even hesitate.
At my immediate response, the old chairman asked again.
“Even if you had to endure immense disadvantages as a result? Expulsion, for example.”
My answer was the same.
“Yes. I would endure it.”
“That's strange. At first, you acted as if you would prove your justification no matter what, but now you act as if you don't care either way. What brought about this change of heart?”
This is truly the last one.
The old chairman seemed a bit embarrassed for having asked so many questions.
“I've decided there's no reason for me to remain here.”
“What?”
“If the Cradle is a place that treats a cadet's honor as trivial, then there is no reason for me to stay.”
It might have been an overly aggressive statement, but it was my honest feeling.
I came to the Cradle because it was the surest way to achieve the dream I couldn't fulfill in my past life.
And my dream could never be achieved by compromising with reality or yielding to injustice.
Because it was impossible for someone with a broken spirit to become a knight.
“What did you say?”
Hearing my answer, the old chairman's face contorted.
“Hahahahaha!”
But apparently, that was his version of a smile.
The old chairman's belated burst of laughter left me bewildered.
But it seemed I was the only one who found the situation unexpected.
The committee members were smiling at me warmly.
“That stings.”
“It seems we've grown too distant from what it means to be a knight while living with law books instead of swords.”
“Thanks to that young man, I've had quite the wake-up call today.”
In all their exchanged words, there was no hint of reprimand for my insolence.
“His uncompromising stance in the face of honor… I didn't find it bad at all.”
“Acting according to his heart without any calculation… it's like seeing the chairman in his younger days.”
Instead, there was only goodwill.
“It is only right to treat one who knows honor with honor.”
The old chairman, who had been laughing heartily, spoke to me.
“Cadet Stefan, for defaming the honor of another cadet, will be expelled.”
The other committee members added.
That the decision had already been made before I even entered.
“Then…?”
“Our committee will not be issuing you any disciplinary action.”
I was more baffled than happy.
So, to sum it up, there was never any need for me to get so worked up defending myself.
I wondered what they must have thought, watching me spout off objections and what not.
I even felt a little embarrassed.
“Your knowledge of Imperial law was quite impressive.”
At the chairman's words, another member chimed in as if on cue, mimicking me, “I object.”
My face flushed hot.
But the truly embarrassing part was yet to come.